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Trim, fit training for obese cops

For, some 30 per cent of the men in 'khaki' are unable to perform their duties due to being overweight and having belly fat

Hyderabad: Days of running and catching a thief are somewhat over in police parlance. “Lean and mean” thieves run faster and will have the better of the cops. For, some 30 per cent of the men in 'khaki' are unable to perform their duties due to being overweight and having belly fat.

They eat more, make merry, but are reticent about burning their calories. In the season of the Covid-19 pandemic, the number of such ‘rounded figures’ has gone up in the Telangana state police force. For many cops, being slim is no more par for the course.

An internal study was conducted recently to ascertain the police personnel's physical fitness post Covid19 pandemic. It revealed that many police staff dealing with law and order, traffic and other wings in the department were unable to perform their duties as they suffered from obesity and other ailments.

The police department has given relaxation in duties to several cops such as elderly staff, pregnant women and those suffering from chronic diseases. For instance, the elderly staff was assigned work at police stations, like coordinating with the uniformed men in the field.

As several deaths took place during the Covid19 pandemic, the study analysed the health scenario of police staff across the state. After verifying these details, senior officials in the Police Commissionerates and SPs in district units have advised Station House Officers (SHOs) to identify cops who are overweight and have belly fat in the respective police limits and send the list to the higher-ups.

Such lists were sent to senior officials. Based on this, the officials asked the SHOs to organise yoga and physical exercise camps at the every police limit once or twice every week. There, however, was no sufficient response in terms of participation.

"So, we will send the cops suffering from obesity to the police academy. Let them work out and burn their calories. We will also design and conduct special training to such police staff in a phased manner," a police official said.

It was found that several fat-bellied cops were located at rural police stations and suburbs of the three police commissionerates -- of Hyderabad, Cyberabad and Rachakonda-- in the city.

As many as 55,000 police staff worked at different wings of the state police. Hundreds of young men and women have been added to the existing staff in all police limits in the state in recent times in view of the heavy workload during the Covid-term.

The officials would take a body mass index of identified police staff by taking their height and weight before they are sent to the academy.

Apart from deaths of those infected by Covid19, a number of senior staff working in law and order, traffic, task force, crime wings and others have died due to heart attacks, paralysis and other ailments during the Covid phase. This put the top cops on the alert.

( Source : Deccan Chronicle. )
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